The intense battle for the quarterback position continues at the Cleveland Browns’ training camp. The OTAs in Cleveland have turned into a war among four players all fighting for the same goal. One of them will become the starter, another the backup, one will be placed on the practice squad, and the last one will be traded or cut. It’s very unlikely that all four will still be with the team by the start of the season.
Yes, the competition is between Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and the rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Despite what happens at the Browns’ camp, deep down Head Coach Kevin Stefanski knows that he’ll likely start the season with Joe Flacco, who already has experience with the team. However, he continues to stick to the narrative of there being an “open competition.”
A couple of years ago, Flacco stepped in as an emergency starter for the last five regular season games with the Cleveland Browns, throwing for 1,616 yards and 13 touchdowns. That performance helped the Browns clinch a playoff spot, though they lost in the Wild Card round to the Texans.
Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders looked better in training than the veterans
The rookie quarterbacks selected in the recent Draft continue their work during OTAs and now posted better numbers than Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco during the Browns’ camp. Keep in mind, the intensity of the practices still needs to ramp up, more pressure needs to be applied, and many things remain to be seen-but little by little, Gabriel and Sanders are showing their talent.
Shedeur Sanders once again connected for three touchdown passes, completing 9 of 14 attempts, just like he did a few days ago. Meanwhile, Dillon Gabriel stood out the most. The former Oregon QB had his best practice yet, throwing three touchdown passes and-most notably-was not intercepted.
Kenny Pickett also had some good moments. The Steelers’ 2022 first-round pick threw two touchdown passes and was not intercepted. Joe Flacco, who currently holds the edge to be the starter, did not throw any touchdown passes and completed 4 of 7 attempts.
The battle will continue, and many chapters remain in the quarterback saga for the Cleveland Browns. Many fans are getting excited by the numbers, especially those of Shedeur Sanders, but we’ll see what happens when the intensity of the practices increases.
As Cleveland Browns Head Coach Kevin Stefanski has said before, OTAs are simply meant to build the foundation and unify the team. In a few weeks, the competition among Flacco, Pickett, Gabriel, and Sanders will heat up.
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